Pupil Premium

Who is eligible for the Pupil Premium Grant?

• Pupil premium funding is allocated to eligible schools based on the number of:

  • pupils who are recorded as eligible for free school meals (FSM), or have been recorded as eligible in the past 6 years (referred to as Ever 6 FSM)
  • children previously looked after by a local authority or other state care, including children adopted from state care or equivalent from outside England and Wales

How does it work?

• Pupil premium is not a personal budget for individual pupils, and schools do not have to spend pupil premium so that it solely benefits pupils who meet the funding criteria. It can be used:

  • to support other pupils with identified needs, such as those who have or have had a social worker, or who act as a carer
  • for whole class interventions which will also benefit non-disadvantaged pupils

 Pupil premium funding is allocated to local authorities based on the number of:

• looked-after children, supported by the local authority
• pupils who meet any of the eligibility criteria and who attend an independent setting, where the local authority pays full tuition fees

For pupils who are looked-after children, funding should be managed by the local authority’s virtual school head (VSH)  in consultation with the child’s school.

Details of the funding criteria for SPP are outlined in the Service pupil premium section.

If the money goes to the school and not the family or my child directly, why is it important?

In school, we use the money for things that make a huge difference to your child. Please see the pupil premium strategy below for details.  

All children get Free School Meals up to the end of Year Two, but if you register for benefits related Free School Meals before this and are eligible, even if your circumstances change and your income increases, your child will still be eligible for Free School Meals as they move into Year Three and beyond.  A child being in receipt of Pupil Premium also means that we can provide other support to the family.  We can make a contribution towards school trips for children in receipt of the Pupil Premium, we receive grants that we can use to support families where children are in receipt of the Pupil Premium and we are able to allocate Winter Fuel Allowance payments to families as well.  We also have options for free club places for children in receipt of PP, your child may be eligible for a free Breakfast Club place, and we can support with the provision of good quality second hand uniform at no cost.  It is well worth the time to register for Free School Meals even if your child is in Year Reception to Year Two.  

Please click below to see the Pupil Premium 2026 - 2027 Conditions of Grant

Pupil_Premium/pupil-premium-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2026-to-2027_1_.htm

Kent Free School Meals

Apply for your free school meals here

Click here to check if you are eligible for Free School Meals